The race through the city
A short in Serbian text at level A2. The translation sits next to it: reading with a dictionary is still too early at this level, and without support it will not happen at all. Last week I took part in a city race for the first time. The warm-up lasted fifteen minutes, and the start was in front…
Text
- Прошле недеље сам први пут учествовао у трци кроз град. Загревање је трајало петнаест минута, а старт је био испред зграде општине. После пет километара ме је ухватио бол у мишићу, па сам успорио и наставио лакше. На финишу су стајали навијачи и деца са пиштаљкама, и то ми је дало снагу. Медаљу нисам освојио, али сам стигао до циља и одмах се уписао за следећу годину.Prošle nedelje sam prvi put učestvovao u trci kroz grad. Zagrevanje je trajalo petnaest minuta, a start je bio ispred zgrade opštine. Posle pet kilometara me je uhvatio bol u mišiću, pa sam usporio i nastavio lakše. Na finišu su stajali navijači i deca sa pištaljkama, i to mi je dalo snagu. Medalju nisam osvojio, ali sam stigao do cilja i odmah se upisao za sledeću godinu.Last week I took part in a city race for the first time. The warm-up lasted fifteen minutes, and the start was in front of the municipality building. After five kilometers a muscle pain seized me, and I slowed down and continued more easily. There were fans and children with whistles at the finish, and that gave me strength. I didn't win a medal, but I reached the finish line and signed up for next year at once.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- How long did the warm-up last?
- What happened after five kilometers?
- Who stood at the finish?
- How did the race end for him?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Serbian?
A2. That means: you know the letters and have a stock of everyday words — about two or three hundred.
How to read a text in an unfamiliar language usefully?
First all the way through without peeking at the translation — just to catch the familiar words. Then with the translation. Then all the way through again: the second pass brings noticeably more, and that feeling matters more than any rule.